Belt buckle



April 14, 1953 H. c. vAlsEY r-:rAL

BELT BUCKLE Filed Feb. 7, 1950 Patented Apr. 14, A1953 BELT BUCKLE Harold C. Vaisey and `l'ohn Ivi-Whitehousenltochester, N. Y., assignors to Hickok Manufacturing Co. Inc., Rochester', N. Y., a corporation of New York Application February 7, 1950, Serial No. 142,776 i Ctaims. (Cl.Y .Z4- 1791) This invention relates to belt buckles.

The inventionmore particularly relates to belt buckles ,that are adaptedA to be attached to the end of leather or other belts for personal wear.

The invention comprehends a belt buckle which includes a back plate with right-angularly for- -wardly extending top andbottom flanges integral ,therewith and a ange or an extension of each of the saidanges providinga rail or guide for individual initials that are adapted to be slid on the rail or guide andthere being means to .maintain the initials in their proper position with respect to the back plate andform a passageway for the free end of the belt in said passageway and the back plate having pivotally attached thereto a ratchetor cam belt-securing means having integral therewith a bail to which `one end of the belt is secured. In this particular buckle, the aforesaid initials constitute substanzquiring thev use of expensive tools ora trained .jewelry worker Yfor assembling the initials with vthe buckle.`

f .Another object of'our inventionY is to .provide .ia relatively simple and rather inexpensive, yet

effective, ornamental belt buckle ofthe ratchet clamping type and wherein substantially the entire front visible face thereof is in the form of vinitials that may be selected and applied and -held in their proper position and relationship with respect to the buckle proper.

2 .Further objects of the invention are to pro- `vide a belt buckle wherein initial members are detachably slidably incorporated in the structure thereof and constitute substantially the entire front of the same, andthe provision of simple,v efficient means to maintain the initial members in fixed position. k

With these and other objects in view, the, in-

combination and arrangement of parts herein- :after-fully described, illustrated inthe accom- -panying drawings and pointed out in the claims ;hereto appended, it being understood that Various changes in the form, proportions, and minor details of construction, within thefscope of the claims, may be resorted to without departing from the spirit orsacricing any of the vadvanyvention consists in the construction and novel `planesurface of the back plate I0.

In the drawings: 1 Fig. 1 is a front elevational view of the .buckle attached tothe belt, ya portion of the belt only beingV shown; Y

Fig. 2 is a perspective view of the buckle as attached to the belt as 4shown in Fig. l; l

Fig. 3 is an exploded perspective view showing the ratchet clamping means and the back plate, with the flanges integral therewith; v

Fig. 4 is a rear elevational view of the buckle;

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view taken substantially along the lines 5-5 of Fig. 4 and showing the ratchet clamping `means in its clamping position; Y Y

Fig. 6 is a ,view similar to Fig. 5 but showing the ratchet clamping means in its non-clamping position;

Fig. 7 is a perspective view of one of the initials showing the groovesy by Vwhich it is mounted on the extensions of the anges of the'buckle;

Fig. 8 is a top plan view ofthe initial shown in Fig. 7; and

Fig. 9 is an exploded perspective View of a slightly modified form of the invention.

The buckle consists of a back plate I0 which. is substantially rectangular in shape. Integral upper'and lower flanges II and I2, respectively,

`which extend substantially at right angles outlwarclly from the back plate l0. it will be seen by referring to Fig-f3, have end portions I3 and I4, respectively, which project beyond the inner edge I5 of the back plate thus providing a sort of cutout or cut-away portion in which the ratchet clamping means is positioned and held and operates.

The back plate I0 has integral therewith suitable substantially cylindrical'bearings or eyelets I6 and I'IV which extend outwardly beyond the rThe said anges' I I 'and I2 have inwardly bent or disposed rails "I8 and I9 .integral therewith and the edge Vportions 20 of these railsor guides for the initials hereinafter mentioned are substantially parallel with the inner surface of the back plate I0 and, of course, spaced therefrom, and are in `substantially vertical alignment with each other.

Itisfto be'specically noted that the aforesaid flanges II and I2 taper in cross-sectionalwidth "from thetend 2I thereof to the other end 22 or it langes to effectively maintain the initials or other indicia hereinafter referred to in their relationship with the back plate and the flanges constituting the buckle.

The clamping means for the free end of the belt is denoted generally at and consists of a preferably polygonal body portion 26 having fiat ends 21 and preferably integral pins or pintles 28 that project outwardly from these fiat portions and which pins `are in vertical alignment with each other. The serrated gripping portion of the clamping member'is denoted-at 29 and, as shown, is of greater length than the said body portion 26 andv of subs'tantially the same length as the body portion and the pins that are attached thereto. The body portion of the clamping member merges into a bail or the like 30 which has `an opening 3I therein and this bail and body portion are substan'tially at right angles with respect to the serrated gripping. element 29.

-The *combined clamping and bail means is attached to the back plate of the buckle by simply positioning the pins or pintles 28 in the respective cylindrical bearings I6 Vand II and Ythen olinching over these bearings to maintain the pins of the said lmember in itsproper pivotal or vof letters of thev alphabet R vand H, but kwhich may be of anyofthe other letters of the alphabet or suitable indicia, are preferably made of one piece and are of metal or the like and the edges or outlineof the initials are preferably beveled as shown Aat 34 and the surface in between Ithe -beveled outline 35A is preferably concave.

The upper and lower end portions of each initial ,.orotherindicia that is utilized tobe placedon the railsof the..back plateof the buckle `have Yopen-ended grooves 36 andl respectivelytherein. Where the initial or other indicia isrlike the letter R depicted in the drawings, and includes va rounded side edge portion-38, the uppergportion of thewall that constitutesthegroove 36 is extended as at 39 sothat the end thereof is substantially in vertical alignmentvwith the maximum width of the side edge of the initial. This extension 39is, in effect, a means which enables another initial to abut thereagainst or, when the initial such as R'is the second initial to'be inserted on `the rails I8` and I9, the extension serves as a means whereby the tabs 24' at the ends of the flanges I I and I2 serve'to abut against and maintain the initials on the rails of the back plate so thatY they will not move or slide or rattle.

In themo'dication ofthe invention, as shown in Fig.' 9, the construction, except for the bearingsfor'the pintles or pins in the'bearin'g mem'- lber is identical'withthe structure'sh'own inthe other figures of the drawings.

InV this modification, however, the'bearingsfor the pintles, rather than being formed'from'integral extensions of the back platel, are, in fact, apertured extensions 40 and `4I `of'the'flanges II and I2 respectively. In this modification, the

vpintlesor pins 42 are somewhat shorter than the pins or pintles 28 and obviously and necessarily so because these pintles simply are'disposedin the apertures 43 in the extensions 40 and 4I and the combined bail andl clamping member oper-Y :ates in thesame manner as it does in the-'con'- 4 struction of the buckle as shown in the other figures of the drawings.

One end of an apparel or the like belt 44 is reversely bent upon itself and extends through the bail 30 and is suitably stitched as at 45 in order to secure the buckle to that end of the belt. The other free end of thebelt 46passes through the tapered passageway 41 and is clampingly vheld in any desired position therein by the yratchet gripping means 29 on the combined bail and gripping element, the gripping position of the said ratchet means being clearly shown in Fig.`5 .ofthe drawings and in Fig. "6 thereof, the ratchet means'isv shown in the non-gripping position.

Dueito the tapering eiiect of the upper and lower flanges Il and I2 that are integral with the back plate IIJ, it is clear, in viewing Figs. 2, 5 and 6, that the passageway 41 that is formed between thefinner face 48 ofthe back plate' I0 andthe inner faces'49 of the initials 32and1'33, tapers in cross-sectionalv width from the clamping end of the buckle-to the other end thereof. Thus, in the wider space which is at the clamping end-of the buckle, sufficient area is provided within which the combined clamping and beltgripping -elements are arranged and operated, and, at the reduced end of the'passageway, `it will be clear, there issuicient clearance'so'that the belt can protrude Vbeyond this end of the buckle and be held snugly in the passageway due to the reduced widthof this passageway atthe end of the buckle opposite where the clamping of the belt is effected.

It is to be definitely understood thatthe letters R and H are merely exemplary of the other letters of the alphabet or other suitable indicia that may be attached to the belt buckle andvconstitutes substantially the entire front face thereof.

It is obvious that, -when the grooves in the initials are aligned with the rails I 9 and I8, these initials can be slid on the rails, or at least the first one, as far as it will go until stopped by the stopping tabs 24, one of which istat the -top and bottom end ofthe-flangesl I` and I2.

After the second initial, which is/thelletter H in this case, is applied slidinglytothe rails, the tabs 23 are then bent at a right angle'with respect to the flanges II and I2 atgtheztends thereof and these tabs 23 effectively servetolock the two initials in their proper .arrangement and position and relationshipv with respect to the back plate I6. When the tabs ;24 'and thetabs V23 are thus .bent at right angles with respect `to 'theends ofthe flanges II and I2, the initials will be securelyheld inpositionxand prevented Yfrom rattling or moving relative to kthexback plate IIJ or the 'anges II `andI2 tand :alsofthe guide rails I8 and I9.

Yflanges extending substantially right-angularly outwardly of's'aid edges and saidv flanges being in substantially spaced parallelism, :extensions v:of the said 'flanges in the form 'of integralv rails which 'rails are substantially in vertical alignment with each other,fthe-said iianges extending beyond one end edge of the back plate at the' top and bottom thereof '.andhaving at each of their Yrespective len'ds tabs, plate-like'initial.members having grooves in :the upper "and'lower edges thereof, said initial members'be'ing 'mounted-ion the said rails, the said tabs serving to engage an end portion of each of the initial members at the top and bottom thereof and serving to secure the initial members in position on the rails and with respect to the back plate, bearings integral with the rear member and inwardly of the extending ends of the said iianges, and a combined bail and clamping member having pins positioned in the bearings allowing of pivotal movement of this member, and the inner faces of the initial members and the inner face of the back member providing a passageway for the disposition therein of the free end of the belt and the bail serving as a means to have the other end of the belt secured thereto.

2. A belt buckle as defined in and by claim 1 wherein the said flanges taper from one end edge to the opposing end edge thus provide a tapering passageway through which the free end of the belt extends.

3. A belt buckle comprising a substantially rectangular shaped back plate member having integral anges extending forwardly from its upper and lower edges at substantially a right angle thereto, said anges having inwardly extending rail extensions disposed substantially in transverse alignment with each other, means for attaching one end of a belt to said rear plate member at one end thereof, a front plate-like member in the form of an initial or the like having a groove in the upper and lower edges thereof to slidably engage said rail extensions. said plate-like member being engaged with said rail extensions and supported thereby in opposed spaced relation with the back plate member to provide therewith a passageway to receive and permit sliding adjustment therein of the end portion of a belt, said front initial member being of a length substantially equal to the width of the back plate member and constituting substantially solely the entire visible front face of the buckle, and means for xedly and non-removably maintaining the said front initial member on said rail extensions.

4. A belt buckle comprising a substantially rectangular shaped back plate member having integral anges extending forwardly from its upper and lower edges at substantially a right angle thereto, said flanges having inwardly extending rail extensions disposed substantially in transverse alignment with each other, means for attaching one end of a belt to said rear plate member at one end thereof, front plate-like members in the form of initials each having a groove in the upper and lower edges thereof to slidably engage said rail extensions, said plate-like members being engaged with said rail extensions and supported thereby in opposed spaced relation with the back plate member to provide therewith a passageway to receive and permit sliding adjustment therein of the end portion of a belt, said front initial members being of a length substantially equal to the width of the back plate member and constituting substantially solely the entire visible front face of the buckle, and tab extensions on the ends of said flanges for securing said front initial members on said rail extensions.

HAROLD C. VAISEY. JOHN R. WHITEHOUSEL References Cited in the le of this patent UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,087,065 Kaiser Feb. 10, 1914 1,133,666 Pryor, Jr. Mar. 30, 1915 1,438,550 Pollak Dec. 12, 1922 1,654,805 Hamric Jan. 3, 1928 2,020,371 Nagel Nov. 12, 1935 2,067,811 Baer Jan. l2, 1937 2,231,724 Kohnke Feb. 11, 1941 2,290,744 Forstner July 21, 1942 

